Starke Circuit Court Judge Modifies Burglars’ Sentences

After having plead guilty to six counts of Class B Burglary last year and sentenced to 15 years in the Department of Corrections, Ian Bastin appeared in the Starke Circuit Court to request a modification of his sentence.

Bastin and his brother Zachary were 18 years old when they were arrested for burglaries in the Koontz Lake area, but they weren’t alone– three other boys, Haven Ewing and two minors, were also involved in the burglaries. Ewing was 19 at the time, making him the oldest of the offenders, but he was only charged with three counts, which are being refiled in the Knox City Court as misdemeanors.

Several witnesses testified as to Bastin’s character. His father described Bastin as a loner who fell into a bad crowd, and said that Bastin is very sorry for what happened. He also emphasized the fact that he was a good kid and deserves a second chance.

Judge Kim Hall reviewed the case, noting that of the five people involved, Bastin and Zachary were the only individuals to receive prison time. He felt that there needed to be a level of consistency in how their crimes were punished. Hall described the differences in prosecution for the cases “unacceptable.”

Hall granted Bastin’s motion, modifying the sentence for both him and Zachary to two years to be served on home detention at Bastin’s father’s home. They will spend the maximum 120 days in the Community Transition Program, and their time on home detention will be followed with five years of probation. The Bastins will also undergo an evaluation by Community Corrections, and complete all programs recommended to them. The brothers will also be required to get jobs and pay restitution to the victims of the burglaries.